Ticking Time Bomb
by Justagirlwithwords
Summary: Nina and Eddie have arrived, awakened and determined. With a new mystery at hand, and absolutely no clues to help, Sibuna will have to scramble their way into figuring out this one. They also have to deal with the fact that they now have two leaders, both chosen, on board...after all how much fun can a mystery possibly be without the Chosen One and the Osirian? *My Version of S3*


She got off the train and hailed a cab, all in one swift motion. She wasn't going to waste any time.

"Coffee Cave please. It's on 2nd and um…"

"Don't worry Miss, I know where it is." The cab driver's gentle and friendly tone reflected in his voice as he smiled an aged smile. They reached the vintage looking coffee shop, and she grabbed her suitcase and payed the man. He smiled graciously as he received the required fare, along with a generous tip. She grabbed her suitcase from the back of the car, and wheeled it behind her as she stepped foot inside Coffee Cave.

Her eyes scanned until she met the ones she was looking for.

"About time." He smirked as he got up to give her a kiss on the cheek. She waved his comment away, and countered with a, "What I want to know, is why did you insist on this meeting? I mean we were gonna meet at the house anyway."

"It's because, we aren't supposed to be here together."

"But that doesn't matter anymore, does it? We break the rules everytime. And this isn't any different. I thought we established this."

"Are we going to work as a team this time, or do you have other ideas?" She asked again, meeting his eyes this time. She didn't bother waiting for an answer on the first question.

"I just need for you to trust me on this. We'll get through it."

"But what about—"

"Fine, you can make the call on that. But you have to make it before the first night."

"That works for me. I already know what I want to do."

He sighed, "As long as you're sure….Are you okay though? It happened, what a week before the flight over?"

"I'm surprised you found out when it happened.. I was sure you wouldn't being over here in England."

"Please, of course I would know." He rolled his eyes and got up from his seat.

"See you at the house then?" She followed his lead, getting up from her seat as well.

"Yeah, just please make a wise decision. If it was under my control—"

"Yeah yeah, I know, you would take everything under control, and leave it just to us."

"You know me well."

"Do I have a choice?" She muttered with a roll of her eyes, but he knew her tone of voice. He chuckled and they hugged. He left first, and got in his car. She waited and called a cab. She took a deep breath, and ordered a coffee, since she knew the cab would take a decent amount of time.

_AMBER_

The smile didn't leave my face for one second. I jumped out of the limo and started counting my suitcases.

1,2,3…A grand total of 8! Not bad Millington, not bad at all!

I turned to face the house. I saw an all to familiar figure approaching the house.

"ALFIE!" I squealed.

"Ambs!" He turned around, and dropped his suitcases (which were only 2)

I ran into his arms, "Alfie, I'm so excited to see you!" He spun me in the air, and it was like I was flying. Who knew Alfie was so strong!

"Me too Ambs, me too." Once he set me down, I looked into his eyes and gave him a kiss, on his lips. It didn't last too long, since I had to unpack and get everything in order for this year. We pulled apart, and he had a dazed look on his face.

"Alfie, honey!" I waved my freshly manicured hand in front of his face.

"I don't know how I am going to get all these suitcases inside and upstairs." I muttered to myself.

"Don't worry Ambs, I'll get Jerome to help me!"

"Aww Alfie, you're the best boyfriend ever!" I grabbed the lightest and smallest suitcases, which in actuality just meant one, because how many could really fit such a description. I skipped up the steps and glanced back to see Alfie convincing Jerome, who had coincidentally, started walking up to the house. I giggled to myself, and headed inside.

"Amber!"

"Trudy!"

"I missed you so much. The food over the summer was _so_ boring!"

"Don't worry dear, I've prepared a feast. You know the boys in our house! Plus, Mick is coming back for good."

"Wait what?"

"You didn't know? Sorry lovely, didn't realize it might have been a surprise for you all."

"That's okay. I'll just act surprised if it is one." I say matter-of-factly. Trudy nods and smiles.

"Where are all of your—"

"Yeah, Amber, where are they?" Patricia walked into the main hall, with Joy behind her.

"Alfie and Jerome are getting them. I just grabbed this one, it's filled with gifts and other essentials!"

"Gifts for..?"

"You guys of course, obviously. Even you Joy, I think we can mend our differences." Sometimes, these guys are really slow. And they call me stupid… I reached for a hug with both Patricia and Joy.

"As long as you don't mess with Fabina." I whispered discreetly, if I do say so myself, into Joy's ear.

"Don't worry Amber, that ship has sailed."

"mostly." Patricia muttered under her breath, but we all heard her. Joy elbowed her and replied, "I'm working on it. I can't just forget it on command can I?" Joy then laughed and returned to the dining room. I walked in, and saw, well I didn't really have enough time to comprehend all the faces as they all shouted, "Amber!" as soon as I entered. Nina rushed to me first, and for once actually grabbed _me _in a bone-crushing hug, rather than the usual way being vice-versa.

She muttered something under her breath, but I couldn't quite catch it, as I felt like I was losing air and my eyelids fluttered.

"Woah Nina! Since when do you give hugs like that." Fabian joked, as he grabbed her off of me.

"It's okay, at least know we can fully establish that I am rubbing off on my BAF!" Everyone laughed at the reference, and luckily nobody asked what it—

"Whats a BAF?" I spoke too soon. I paused right as I opened my voice to retort something, I _recognized _that voice. Everyone did!

"Mick!" The collective astonishment was quite funny to watch, as everyone, and I mean everyone was surprised he was back.

"First of all, BAF means Best American Friends. Just wanted to say that loud and clear, so everyone got the memo." I raised my voice towards the end. Before anyone could say anything about my recent comment or ask questions on Mick's appearance, Jerome walked in, towering over..well everyone.

"Amber, I swear to God that is the last, and I mean last time I let Alfie convince me to help him carry your what 7, 8 suitcases." He immediately spotted Mara and walked to her, putting his arm around her waist. She blushed, and hid behind her hair.

"YAY JARA!"

Everyone's heads turned to me in question, it was kinda creepy actually, they were like in sync!

"Woah, you guys were so in sync! Maybe you should all be in a dance together!" Getting off topic Millington…

"Whats a Jara?" Eddie asked with that 'eddie' look on his face.

"It's **J**erome and M**ara**'s couple name! Gosh Eddie, you can be such a doofus sometimes."

"Hey! Only I can call my boyfriend doofus."

"Aww thanks Yacker, I feel the love." Eddie gestured to the room. Everyone laughed at that boy's antics. Patricia just rolled her eyes.

"Even Patricia has a boyfriend?" Mick asked in disbelief. Oh, kinda forgot he was there…probably shouldn't have squealed about Jerome and Mara…

"Excuse you but I—" Before Patricia could even respond with a witty comeback, Mick had already stalked off to his room.

"Who was…?"

"We'll explain later Eddie. Maybe dinner. If we get there," Nina said exasperated.

"Mara, I have something for you. Let's go to my room to grab it." Jerome just nodded to Nina on his way out. Wait what..? Nina just smiled at his actions. Once Jerome and Mara were safely in their bedroom we grabbed seats.

"Sibuna meeting, 12 in the—"

"Attic? Not again. That was so last year!" I cut off Nina before she even had a chance to finish her sentence.

"Actually Amber, I was thinking the Frobisher Study this time. Just to spice things up a bit." Nina shrugged her shoulders and smiled. I nodded approvingly.

"So we officially have 7 members then? Me, Nina, Fabian, Alfie, Amber, Eddie, and Joy?" Patricia asked.

"Yeah..Eddie is kinda of a required thing..and Joy you have the choice. We won't force you. Same with Jerome, but I don't think he'll want to because of Mara."

"Thank you Nina, but I really want to be apart of Sibuna this time. I want every mishap from last year behind us, and I certainly want to start from the beginning with you Nina."

"Me too." Nina smiled and they both reached for a hug.

Patricia and Fabian relaxed at the thought of these two finally calling quits on their 'battle'.

"Should we meet right here at midnight? Since we can't get to the cellar without Nina.."

"Awww Beau, thats a brilliant idea." I reached over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Okay, does that work for everybody?" Everyone nodded and started getting up to go to their respective rooms for unpacking.

"Wait, don't we need to initiate the new members?"

"Initiate?"

"We'll do that tomorrow, since it's a Sunday and we don't have to worry about school. Plus it's too late for today."

Everyone acknowledged the idea, and went their separate ways.

"C'mon Nins! Lets go to our room!" I dragged her up the stairs with me, to our beloved room.

I just hope that maybe this year will be mystery free…maybe.

_NINA_

Amber and I gossiped on everything that came to mind.

But I was distracted. Sibuna this evening was going to be eventful. I just knew it.

I just hope me being here didn't bring more trouble than what I think is possible.

"Amber, will you always be apart of Sibuna? Or would you back out?"

"Honestly Nina, I don't think I would. I love Sibuna, despite its many threats and side effects, I love it. I really do." I just smiled.

"Before you say so, I am not planning any double dates with Fabian and I and anybody else until we are at least a few days into school." Amber's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish needing water.

"Dinner!"

We both heard Trudy's call from downstairs. Dinner was always the best here, especially the first night. We looked at each other knowingly as we walked out of our room and closed the door.

"Can't let Alfie, Mick, and Eddie take all the food."

"Martin, I'm hurt that I'm not on this list." Jerome mockingly clutched his heart. I rolled my eyes and passed him at the foot of the stairs. He was probably waiting for Mara.

I took my seat at the head of the table, like normal with Amber on one side and Eddie on the other. Where's Fabian? Fabian entered moments later, a look of question evident when he saw Eddie sitting there. I shrugged slightly and smiled, and he took the seat in between Mick and Alfie.

Dinner had the usual first day chatting, how was summer vacation or holidays as they said here, and Alfie and Jerome only threw one piece of food. It's a new record!

"Nina could you pass me that bowl."

"Sure." I reached and grabbed it. As I turned to hand it to Eddie, I lowly whispered, "Why the seat change, Ed?"

"No reason." He winked, which didn't go unnoticed by Jerome.

"Martin, Junior, you two getting cozy there, don't you think?" I dropped my fork, Fabian did a spit take, and Amber turned so fast to face Jerome, I was whipped in the face by her hair. Patricia raised an eyebrow, as Eddie slowly put the bowl down and raised his hand 'surrendering'.

"Excuse me?" Patricia asked, spitefully.

I sighed, "Jerome, if you must know, I was asking Ed-die why he chose to sit here instead of his usual seat. Because usually, Fabian sits here." Hopefully nobody caught the slip up on the nickname, I don't think calling Eddie 'Ed' would help my case at the moment. Jerome nodded hestitantly, at my answer, and since it was the sincere truth, Patricia and Amber calmed down and let it go.

"So Jerome are you done with the club?" Amber asked. I knew what she was doing. She was trying to be discreet about Sibuna but it wasn't working.

"What club?" Mara asked sweetly. Once again, guilt hit me in the gut. I felt so bad about always lying to her.

"Yeah what club?" Mick added, hoping to rack a few points with Mara.

"The—"

"The Lets Prank Victor Club. The one that was started by Alfie, and me, to you know _get_ Victor. Nina's even helped before." I sighed thankfully, who knew Eddie would have my back. Oh wait the Ancient Egyptians did.

I could tell that Jerome's icy blue eyes brightened he understood what we meant. The clouds of confusion weren't present, when he looked me (mainly me and somewhat Eddie) in the eye.

"Not anymore. I think I'll join when needed. Sound good?" Sibuna nodded slightly, while Eddie nodded extra to keep the charade going. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as we could relax that no doubtful questions were headed our way.

Dinner ended quickly, and soon groups of people dispersed. Until, it was just Eddie and I.

"You're sure you want to tell them everything?"

"You do realize that when you say everything, it really means nothing, since we know nothing!"

"Details, Details." I rolled my eyes. This boy was my Osirian. Him! I don't even know where to begin sometimes.

"You're feeling okay though? No dizzy spells or anything?"

I shook my head, and quietly replied, "No, I've only had one dizzy spell, and that was while I was getting on the plane."

"You didn't tell me about that." He said matter-of-factly, with eyebrows raised.

"Oops…?" I got up and pushed my chair backwards.

"See you at midnight with the rest of Sibuna." I held my hand over my eye, before quickly making it seem like I was running my hand through my hair. I turned and jogged up the stairs.

I entered my room, hoping to get at least a few hours of sleep, but instead I was confronted by a crazy blonde,

"Nins, I need Fabina deets! That rhymed!"

"I've got nothing? I was talking to somebody else and I'll just see Fabian later at the meeting." She huffed with a frown.

"Fine! But let me tell you about Amfie!" I nodded encouragingly, and we spent the next few hours talking couples, specifically Peddie (which I am sure if Patricia heard, she would kill Amber), Jara (which we learned earlier today) and the Mick factor, which apparently was big in the equation of Mara and Jerome. Then of course there was Fabina and Amfie, which were undoubtedly Amber's favorites, being she was a half of one of them. I was surprised, but also glad that she didn't bother talking about Joy and how she could be a factor in mine and Fabian's equation. That sounded so Amber.

I'm pretty sure we dozed off eventually, as I don't recall Victor's pin drop speech.

_JOY_

I got up at 11:50 knowing the 10 minutes could be used for last minute fixing, and well getting Patricia out of bed.

"Patty, come on! We have a Sibuna meeting!" I whispered as I shook her 'gently'. I got her to wake up at around 11:57. Thank goodness I took those 10 minutes. We somehow got out of the room, without waking Mara, but I doubt we'll be this lucky always. We quietly stumbled down the stairs, what a contradiction, I know.

We had a whooping, wait for it, 4 Sibuna members. Patricia and I, along with Fabian and Eddie.

"Fabian, go get Alfie. Where are Nina and Amber?"

"I'll grab them, since clearly Yacker kinda needs you to lean on." Eddie smirked and jogged up the stairs quietly. I knew he was gonna tease Patricia later.

"I had to drag Alfie out of bed but's it all good now."

"All good? I think your girlfriend and best mate are rubbing off on you." I giggled as quietly as I could at the thought of Fabian Rutter slowly becoming American.

_EDDIE_

I knocked politely, since I knew my manners when dealing with girl rooms. Nobody answered, so I slowly opened the door, wincing when it creaked.

Amber was sitting on Nina's bed, shaking her. Its another nightmare. And I can't wake her up from inside it, since I am obviously wide awake. Worst timing for this I swear.

"Amber, calm down. I know whats going on. Usually I can wake her up from inside but we'll have to try a different method."

"Inside? Like you become all tiny and zap into Nina's head?" I ignored the comment, marking it as midnight stupidity, and grabbed Nina off the bed. I motioned my head for Amber to go ahead of us, and then I followed.

On the way down the stairs, I could clearly tell that everyone was _wide awake _now. Oh joy! Fabian and Patricia both opened their mouths to say something, but I just motioned for them to follow me. I'll hear it in the study. I always seem to..

Somehow, I managed to get the necklace out and unlock the oven, and get Nina through. Let me tell you, a lecture was exactly what I was expecting when we got down.

After all 7 of us squeezed through we were in the Cellar. The tables filled with colorful vials and adorned with stuffed animals seemed to get creepier each time we came.

Fabian put in the combo and we all went inside. I lay Nina down on the couch, and hastily turned around to what I call Sibuna.

Fabian was frustrated, because we all know about a billion questions would have shot out of his mouth if he had the chance.

Amber was questioning everything.

Joy and Alfie seemed to both have variations of the same emotion. Amused.

Yacker, well she has a snarky glare molded on her face, and I would bet all the money in the world, that it was from the middle of the night awakening, plus Me.

I really hope Nina wakes up soon.

"Soo..should have brought some midnight snacks, huh?" I scratched the back of my neck nervously, the situation was all kinds of tense.

"Woah, where are we?"

Nina sat up disoriented, looking around the room.

"Nina, you do know who we are right?" Amber asked slowly, pausing after every word.

"Yes Amber, it was just I was in my room last and now we are in the Frobisher Study." She got of the couch and sat next to me.

"You okay?" I tried to whisper discreetly. I have a feeling it didn't work..

"I'll explain later."

"OKAY, so are we going to be filled in on this elusiveness or is it just a chosen thing?" Alfie asked jokingly, but I can assure you that his same question coming from everyone's mouths would be quite the story itself.

"There's a lot. And I mean a lot. But I have caught Eddie up with our past mysteries, so we don't have to delve into that. Joy, I can catch you up on the missing pieces later?" Nina took charge and Joy nodded, smiling.

"So basically over the su—"

"This is a two narrator story? Well, I have lots of questions, so please continue." Patricia butt in, and I could tell it wasn't jokingly.

"Ed, why don't I just tell them everything. You can add any bits that I might forget." I nodded. This was going to take a while.

"Over the summer, really just a few weeks ago I had this terrible dream, well really a nightmare, since that totally contradicts with itself. Getting off topic, sorry, anyways, it was basically an enigma, and I couldn't understand, and neither could Eddie," sensing that almost everyone was ready to ask the same question, Nina quickly added, "Eddie and I have been having shared dreams all summer long. Usually they are nightmares, and he, being the Osirian gets us out of them. Like for example, tonight, when Amber tried to wake me up she couldn't. And since Eddie was wide awake and nowhere close to being asleep he wasn't in them to get me out. So if thats the case, it seems like I'll just have to wait it out. But a couple of weeks ago, neither of us noticed, but we're in a predicament. One that we have absolutely no idea, because once it appeared, any and all dreams became nightmares, plagued with our dear friends, Senkhara and Rufus. The mark itself seems to be on just me, and it has grown darker and more detailed through the course of a few weeks. And I am almost positive that it is fully done now that I have arrived in Anubis."

Nina laid back, and pulled up her shirt to show the mark.

A collective gasp fled through the room.

As the banging of beakers ringed from outside.

**3606 words! Probably **_**the **_**longest chapter I have ever written for House of Anubis. It's a lot to take in, I know but this first day had to eventful, after all, they always are. **

**Here are a few things that I have to address: **

**The mark is fairly big, but not big enough that Nina is flashing everyone. Just wanna make that clear. I will be posting 3 pictures for the media of this story to show how the mark became what it looks like at Anubis House, during the Sibuna meeting. **

**The couples, as of now are Fabina, Peddie, Amfie, and Jara. I haven't yet decided if this story will be taking a Neddie turn. Rather so, I am leaning towards making this with Peddie and Fabina, but a lot of drama with adjusting to the fact that Eddie is the Osirian, which is extremely important in Sibuna. SO comment below your thoughts on couples!**

**This story, with what I am expecting and planning, will most likely be an average of around 1,800-2,500 words every chapter. With the occasional 3,000+ chapters or less than 1,500 chapters. Just throwing that out there, because this story is going to have a lot of character development, something that I haven't particularly added for House of Anubis: Many Years Later**

**Cascading Clues and this are going to be the updated mostly every other weekend. **

**I have put The Prophecy of the Falcon Wings and the Golden Plaque on hold, and it will most likely be going through an intense workshop before it is continued. **

**Other than that, I have no other pressing thoughts that are needed to be conveyed! I hope you likes this first chapter!**

***Let me know who your favorite POV was! I will usually do about 2-4 different ones per chapter, because I believe it shows different angles and gives a bit of freshness for each one. **

**Once again,**

**I really hope you guys are as pumped for this as I am!**

**Also, please feel free to discuss the story and mention other aspects that you enjoyed/didn't. I love reading all comments, big or small! I am hoping for some sort of response before I continue posting for this story, so please don't shy away from commenting! Private Message me if you feel the need to! **

**Thank You for Reading!**

**~Justagirlwithwords**


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